Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1409’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1409’, characterized by its uniform, upright and mounded plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely and upright branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about November 17 in Southern California; large inflorescences with light yellow and peach-colored flower bracts with dark pink-colored flecks and spots; and good post-production longevity.

Botanical designation: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd.

Cultivar denomination: ‘PER1409’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofPoinsettia plant, botanically known as Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd., andhereinafter referred to by the cultivar name ‘PER1409’.

The new Poinsettia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Encinitas, Calif. The objective of thebreeding program is to create new uniform Poinsettia plants having largeinflorescences with attractive flower bracts and excellentpost-production longevity.

The new Poinsettia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in December, 2008 of a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number PE7-32, not patented, asthe female, or seed, parent, with a proprietary selection of Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 142-06, not patented, asthe male, or pollen, parent. The new Poinsettia plant was discovered andselected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within theprogeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouseenvironment in Encinitas, Calif. in December, 2009.

Asexual reproduction of the new Poinsettia plant by terminal vegetativecuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Encinitas, Calif.since February, 2010 has shown that the unique features of this newPoinsettia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Poinsettia have not been observed under all possiblecombinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. Thephenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditionssuch as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however,any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘PER1409’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘PER1409’ as a new and distinct Poinsettiaplant:

-   -   1. Uniform, upright and mounded plant habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely and upright branching habit.    -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.    -   5. Under natural season conditions, plants flower on or about        November 17 in Southern California.    -   6. Large inflorescences with light yellow and peach-colored        flower bracts with dark pink-colored flecks and spots.    -   7. Good post-production longevity.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the female parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the female parent selection        differ in flower bract color as plants of the female parent        selection have hot pink-colored flower bracts.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower about one week earlier        than plants of the female parent selection when grown under        natural season conditions.

In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants ofthe new Poinsettia differ primarily from plants of the male parentselection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia have darker green-colored leaves        than plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia and the male parent selection        differ in flower bract color as plants of the male parent        selection have lemon white-colored flower bracts.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia flower about one week earlier        than plants of the male parent selection when grown under        natural season conditions.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘Peterstar Pink’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.9,879. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif.,plants of the new Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of‘Peterstar Pink’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia had a more upright branching        habit than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘Peterstar Pink’ differed in        flower bract color as plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’ had        pink-colored flower bracts.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about eight days        earlier than plants of ‘Peterstar Pink’.

Plants of the new Poinsettia can be compared to plants of the Euphorbiapulcherrima Willd. ‘PER975’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,882. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in Encinitas, Calif., plants of thenew Poinsettia differed primarily from plants of ‘PER975’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Poinsettia were not as vigorous as plants        of ‘PER975’.    -   2. Plants of the new Poinsettia had darker green-colored leaves        than plants of ‘PER975’.    -   3. Plants of the new Poinsettia and ‘PER975’ differed in flower        bract color as plants of ‘PER975’ had light pink to pale        yellow-colored flower bracts.    -   4. Plants of the new Poinsettia flowered about four days earlier        than plants of ‘PER975’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of thenew Poinsettia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Poinsettia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet is a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘PER1409’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typicalflowering plant of ‘PER1409’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used in the aforementioned photographs and in the followingdetailed description were grown during the late autumn/early winter in16.5-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Encinitas,Calif. and under natural season conditions and cultural practicestypical of commercial Poinsettia production. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures averaged 26° C., night temperaturesaveraged 18° C. and light levels averaged 5,000 foot-candles.Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typicalflowering plants. Plants were pinched one time and were 21 weeks oldwhen the photographs and the description were taken. In the followingdescription, color references are made to The Royal HorticulturalSociety Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except where general terms ofordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Euphorbia pulcherrima Willd. ‘PER1409’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number PE7-32, not            patented.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Euphorbia            pulcherrima Willd. identified as code number 142-06, not            patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About seven to ten days at night            temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about 27° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About four weeks at            night temperatures about 20° C. and day temperatures about            27° C.        -   Root description.—Fibrous; white in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant habit and form.—Uniform, upright and mounded plant            habit; inverted triangle; large inflorescences positioned            above the foliar plane; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Plant height.—About 37.5 cm.        -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 54 cm.        -   Lateral branch description.—Quantity: Freely branching            habit, about seven lateral branches develop after pinching;            upright branching habit. Length: About 32 cm. Diameter:            Thick, about 9 mm. Internode length: About 1.7 cm. Strength:            Strong. Aspect: About 30° to 40° from vertical. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous. Luster: Glossy. Color: More green than            146A.        -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:            About 11.25 cm. Width: About 9.25 cm. Shape: Ovate with            cordate tendencies. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Mostly truncate            with cordate tendencies. Margin: Mostly entire, occasionally            with broad lobes. Aspect: Flat. Venation pattern: Pinnate,            arcuate. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly rugose. Color: Developing and fully            expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to N137A or 147A;            venation, close to 146A. Developing and fully expanded            leaves, lower surface: Close to 147B; venation, close to            146C. Petioles: Length: About 4.5 cm. Diameter: About 4 mm.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Luster,            upper and lower surfaces: Glossy. Color, upper surface:            Close to 146B to 146C. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Inflorescence type and habit.—Terminal inflorescences are            compound corymbs of cyathia with colored flower bracts            subtending the cyathia; inflorescences uniformly positioned            above the foliar plane.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural season conditions, plants            typically flower on or about November 17 in Southern            California; under artificial long nyctoperiod/short            photoperiod conditions, plants flower about seven to eight            weeks later.        -   Post-production longevity.—Good post-production longevity;            plants of the new Poinsettia maintain good substance and            flower bract color for about four to six weeks under            interior conditions; flower bracts persistent and cyathia            not persistent.        -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 32 cm.        -   Inflorescence height (depth).—About 5 cm.        -   Flower bracts.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 25. Length,            largest bracts: About 13 cm. Width, largest bracts: About            10.5 cm. Shape: Ovate; occasionally with broad shallow            lobes. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire,            occasionally with broad shallow lobes. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; satiny; mostly flat to            slightly rugose. Aspect: Mostly upright to horizontal;            keeled. Venation pattern: Pinnate, arcuate. Color:            Developing or transitional bracts, upper surface: Ground            color, close to 144A and N137A; irregular and random            sectors, close to 10A. Developing or transitional bracts,            lower surface: Ground color, close to 144A, 146B and 146C;            irregular and random sectors, close to 10B and 10C. Fully            expanded bracts, upper surface: Close to 24C; random flecks            and spots, close to 53A and 53B; some bracts, close to 38C            and 38D with flecks and spots, close to 47A to 47B or 52A;            color becoming closer to 18A and 16B with development. Fully            expanded bracts, lower surface: Close to 24D; flecks and            spots, close to 53B; color becoming closer to 18B and 16C            with development. Bract petioles: Length: About 4.6 cm.            Diameter: About 3.5 mm. Texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            144B.        -   Cyathia.—Quantity per corymb: About 15. Length: About 8 mm.            Width: About 6 mm. Shape: Oval. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.            Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 144B.        -   Nectaries.—Quantity per cyathium: One. Length: About 6 mm.            Width: About 4 mm. Shape: Roughly oval. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color, inner and outer surfaces: Close to 17C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 5 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm.            Strength: Strong. Aspect: Mostly upright. Texture: Smooth,            glabrous. Color: Close to 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per cyathium:            About 20. Filament length: About 5 mm. Filament color: Close            to 154D. Anther shape: Round; bi-lobed. Anther length: Less            than 1 mm. Anther color: Close to 9A. Amount of pollen: None            observed. Pistils: Quantity per cyathium: One; tri-parted.            Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Lanceolate,            recurved. Stigma color: Close to 53B. Style length: About            4 mm. Style color: Close to 144B. Ovary color: Close to            144A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit production have not been            observed on plants of the new Poinsettia.-   Disease & pest resistance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have not    been shown to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to    Poinsettia plants.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Poinsettia have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 16° C. to about    29° C.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Poinsettia plant named ‘PER1409’ asillustrated and described.